Man acquitted on third count in Westlake theater weapons case

CLEVELAND -- An Ohio man who earlier pleaded guilty to two charges for bringing a loaded gun, ammunition and knives to a showing of the latest Batman movie has been acquitted of a third weapons count.

A judge heard evidence on the third charge without a jury in Cleveland on Friday and acquitted 38-year-old Scott A. Smith, of North Ridgeville. The third charge was having a weapon under disability, which prosecutors said was a drug dependency.

Smith pleaded guilty on Monday to two counts of carrying a concealed weapon.

Smith was arrested at an Aug. 4 showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Westlake. His attorney says Smith had the weapons for protection in case someone tried to copy the Colorado theater shooting that left 12 dead three weeks earlier.